4 tow trucks, 2 hotels, 10 days and still counting!

Well firstly apologies for not updating our blog over the last couple of weeks. We have had quite an “adventurous” time and one that we don’t want to repeat.

In summary we travelled along the coast heading in the direction of Fuengirola as had a pre-planned rendevouz with my Mum who was visiting for the week from the 21st. We decided to stop off at Benalmadena for a few days beforehand. Parking behind the Sunset Beach Hotel (GPS 36.581527-4.536555) recommended by Ian and Julia who we had met in Fuengirola previously. It would appear though that when we park right next to a beach the weather has a tendancy to change and the prediction of heavy clouds and rain was on this occasion correct. Shortly after parking up Paul when off for a walk and got chatting to another motorhomer Dave and during the conversation he mentioned my name and Dave asked him “you wouldn’t happen to be Paul would you” “yes” he replied a little confused as to how Dave knew of him. Dave and his partner Anne-Marie had met up with Julia and Ian shortly before we arrived and they had told them they we may be on our way and to look out for us. We didn’t know at this point how important our meeting them would be. After spending a few days avoiding the downpours we decided to head along the coast to Fuengirola. When we arrived mid-afternoon Dave and Anne-Marie were already there so we spent an afternoon and evening together walking and having a bite to eat.

Making New Friends in Benalmadena

The following day the sun was back out so after nipping to the supermarket to get some provisions for my Mums arrival late that night Paul and I decided to head to the beach just in front of our parking area. We settled in to reading our books and after only ½ hour Paul looked down and noticed that his bag was gone. It had been right there in between our chairs and we hadn’t moved! How could we not have noticed (later we found out that apparently it’s common for thieves to use umbrellas with hooked handles to snaffle bags away). Panic set in and we leapt up looking for the culprit. Our 1st thought was for our motorhome as along with wallet and phone the keys to our vehicle were also in the bag! Paul ran back to Boris whilst I gathered the rest of our belongings up. Just as I was leaving the beach I spotted a police car and flagged them down telling them what had happened they made their way across to the parking area. Fortunately we had a spare set of keys inside the motorhome so the police arranged for a locksmith to come out and get us into the vehicle to retrieve them. We made the decision immediately to move the MH however on trying the spare keys they wouldn’t deactivate the immobiliser so therefore the engine wouldn’t start!!!

The following 2 days consisted of dozens of phone calls, 4 tow trucks (until they got one big enough), a technician to re-program the key (this is how we discovered the keys were faulty) before we finally got Boris on to a low loader and got him to a secure parking area in Malaga. During this whole event Dave and Anne-Marie stayed with us, even following the tow truck to Malaga at 11.30pm so that they could bring us back to Fuengirola where my Mum and her friend Denise now were.

Tow truck mayhem

Returning the Fuengirola we booked into the same hotel as my Mum so that at least we got the opportunity to spend time with them whilst they were here. In between numerous phone calls trying to sort out replacement keys, insurances and police reports.

Hotel Veramar

Although we still had lots to deal with we were determined to have a good week with Mum and Denise and managed to do just that. Visiting Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Mijas with them, by the time they left they’d worn us out!!!

A week of eating, drinking and sightseeing

Due to the local Ferria in Fuengirola the hotel was fully booked so on Saturday 29th so we have moved and are currently in an all inclusive hotel in Torremolinos (as it was costing us a fortune eating out all the time) and are here until our keys are sorted which we hope will be soon as we are missing our time on the road. Dave and Anne-Marie came to our rescue again after coming back to Fuengirolla to meet up for a day at the Feria they dropped us at our new location. Its amazing how 2 weeks ago we had not even met, but I’m sure we will be friends for life after all their kindness.

We have suffered a mishap but have made new friends in the process

Fuengirola Feria

Our 2 weeks in summary

Chance meeting with friends of Julia and Ian (who we met in Fuengirola earlier in the year and spend Pauls 50th with) led to having endless support and kindness. We can’t thank you enough Dave and Anne-Marie.

Bag stolen from beach in Fuengirola 21st April the day before Mum was arriving

Locksmith to break into motorhome to get to spare keys

calls to cancel bank cards, order new driving license etc

Discovering that immobilser is stuck on

Technician is organised to re-program key (unfortunately this failed as key is faulty)

Visit police station to file report

Stuck in car park for 2 days whilst recovery sorted 4 trucks and a tow later we finally got moved

Phone blocked due to high call amounts – limit had to be lifted

Boris taken to secure compound in Malaga on Friday 22nd

Monday 25th go to local police lost and found to check if property been found

Wed 27th replacement keys finally ordered

Sat 30th moved to hotel in Torremolinos to await new keys

Sun 30th filled in mounds of paperwork for lost items for holiday insurance

Hoping our next chapter will be a little less eventful

Love Andi and Paul (still smiling)

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Oh, oh, oh, why do some people act like that? Luckily there still are friendly people too! Let’s be positive and hope they are the majority!!! Feel very sorry for you and admire the fact you could still have a good time with your mum and her friend! All the best! Good thing of you blogging about this: it makes us a little bit more careful, again!

We have learnt lots of lessons. I have told an abridged version of events on our blog as don’t want to jeopardise any insuarance claims so haven’t mentioned any company names but to say that both the assistance and insurance made it hard work would be a gross understatement! I still can’t believe we didn’t see anyone steal the bag as it was between our seats and we were sat reading! Police told us they use umbrellas with a hooked handle! It’s probably a good job Paul didn’t see though as you never know what could of happened. That’s 3 things now: leak in bathroom, hit by a bus and now this! Hopefully that’s the total! It all adds to the adventure and despite the hassle we are still having a fabulous time.

Would you believe we are still here. Keys arrived last Thursday but technician still can’t recode when going out! Vehicle being towed to the Peugeot dealer tomorrow! Hoping they get it sorted early this week! Weather has finally changed (but only the last couple of days) and so we are soaking up the sun on the beach today!!!! It’s not been the same without you mad lot here. You made it lots of fun. Happy travels girls. Keep in touch

Ahh, memories….. Sunset Beach Club was the first ever hotel where we introduced AguaSpheres (mentioned on our About Us page). We arrived one Easter morning at 10am, the whole place was shrouded in a chilly mist and there wasn’t a sinner around the pool. On arriving I thought it would be a disaster. We turned on the music and put a couple of our workers in the balls to run over the water. People started appearing on their balconies with the noise and within 2 hours I had single handed put 60 kids in the spheres. Wiping away the sweat, I knew a new business had been born! The hotel is actually owned by the Irish Farmer’s Union and had Irish managment – but that particular hotel and manager was a complete pain in the ass to work with!

So glad to hear you are finally back on the road. When something goes wrong in a strange country it just multiplies the stress 10x times. What direction are you travelling now…. any plans made?

Sounds and looks like fun times. We drove for 4 hours on Tuesday when we picked the MH back up – couldn’t wait to get away from the Costa Del Sol after what had happened!! We are now at Playa De Carolina (Nr Aguillas) just a beach and the sea – so perfect. We are heading north now as have friends and family that are coming out early June and meeting us on the Costa Brava.
It feels like starting the adventure all over again!